After Five Fantasy
by Batasyl
Summary: Beneath Riley Matthews' mousy appearance beats the heart of a shy romantic. Riley's used to being ignored and never attracting men's attention, so she has no idea how to pursue her own personal fantasy man, Lucas Friar, the only man who seems oblivious to her outer appearance. She's settled for being Lucas' friend and colleague by day, and his online fantasy woman by night.
1. Chapter 1

"Lucas will never recognize me." Riley Matthews stared into the mirror, amazed by the stranger staring back. " _I_ don't recognize me."

"That's because I'm a bloody genius," Marcio said, eyeing her reflection above stylish black eyeglass frames. "Your own mother wouldn't recognize you."

Riley wasn't about to argue either point. As the owner and resident genius of Casa de Marcio, he had every right to be proud of his accomplishments tonight. When he'd arrived at the hotel earlier with Maya in tow, Riley had been a brunette with fair skin and brown eyes. Marcio's skill with beauty supplies and theatrical makeup had transformed her into a cat-eyed stranger with sleek raven-hair and exotic tanned skin—the physical embodiment of her online persona, Jexica.

It was her online persona, not the real Riley Matthews, who would enjoy a very hot night with her fantasy man if all went as planned. _Finally._ She'd met Lucas Friar two years ago when they'd become partners during their residency. He'd been gorgeous, charming, smart, and—unfortunately for her—involved in a long-term relationship. So Riley had reveled in their growing friendship and experienced her first taste of unrequited love.

Until his relationship had ended.

Suddenly the possibility of dropping the _un_ from _un_ requited existed. Especially when she'd caught Lucas watching her with a gleam in his eyes. At least she'd thought she had and since she was a stranger to men noticing her…Riley had just figured that once his rebound time had passed, he would express an interest in deepening their friendship. But he hadn't. Maybe he was waiting for her to make the first move. Maybe she'd simply mistaken that look in his eyes. Riley didn't know, and she'd _never_ know because she couldn't figure out how to address the subject without dissolving into a blushing, stammering puddle at Lucas' feet.

Ah, the irony of fate. Her boring, mousy appearance was as much of an illusion as the gilt-trimmed facade of the colorful and vibrant hotel room—all showy on the outside with an internal structure that needed serious renovation. Beneath Riley's boxy nondescript outfits beat the heart of a shy romantic. And since men had always ignored her, she'd grown accustom to staying behind the shadow of her curvy and sexy best friend slash sister Maya, which left her unsure how to pursue the one man she wanted.

She simply had to get over her inhibitions. At least long enough to enjoy a fantasy night with her fantasy man. Graduation was fast approaching and life would take her and Lucas in different directions. _Now_ was her only chance.

Deciding the anonymity of cyberspace would help liberate her of self-consciousness and insecurities, Riley had assumed the screen name Jexica and become Lucas' online chat buddy.

As Jexica, she'd spent the past months shedding her inhibitions and seducing him online for the big night when she'd finally appear in the flesh for a cameo appearance as his lover.

"It's amazing." Riley searched her reflection for a glimpse of the woman she'd been for the past twenty-eight years. "How did you manage—"

"A dab of foundation _here_ and a dab of foundation _there_ and voilà."

Most people assumed that with the height and a frame of a model meant Riley should be sexually daring. Girls from her middle school always commented on her seemingly over developed boobs. Boys made fun of her height. Many times in her life she'd downplayed her looks with a severe hairstyle and a shapeless wardrobe, and just recently she promised Maya that she will no longer make grooming concessions that made her feel ashamed of the way she looked.

But tonight…temporary grooming concessions were absolutely necessary.

"You don't think I'm too exotic-looking? I want Lucas to find me attractive."

"Are you kidding?" Maya waved a hand dismissively. "The man would have to be dead not to drool. You're oozing sex, or will be as soon as we get you into costume."

From where Riley sat, her costume didn't look like much of one. The flesh-toned sheath dripped off a dressmaker's mannequin, nearly see-through but for the intricate beadwork that would strategically veil various body parts. A gown that flaunted her assets in a way she'd never done before.

"Come on," Marcio said. "Let's get you dressed. Your man will be showing up soon and you don't want him peeking at his present before you wrap the package."

Slipping out of the vanity chair, Riley turned herself over to the professionals for gift-wrapping. "I hope Lucas' interested. I hate to think of your hard work going to waste."

"You'll still cook dinner for me for an entire week." Marcio knelt, motioning for Riley to step inside the gown. "So enjoy your night. You will be paying for it."

Riley dismissed the thought of additional grocery cost and slaving in the kitchen for the next week. She could rationalize the expense as a graduation gift for herself—she'd worked long and hard enough for a great one. …

"There. All set." Marcio tugged the zipper up and Riley turned to survey the effect. The gown's low-slung back reached to the cleft of her backside. She gave a low whistle.

"Yow is right." Maya said. "I should take a picture and show it to your dad. Bet you he won't let you leave the house ever again."

"Maya—"

"Fine. I won't show it to your dad." Maya said. "Isn't Lucas curious why he's meeting you in a hotel and not at your house?"

"He is but he also knows that I am interested with interior design and architecture. I suggested this hotel because I really am curious to see it and it's an erotic hotel."

"But the man doesn't know he's coming here to get erotic with _you._ "

"That was the whole point of my plan."

A plan that had better go off accordingly, Riley thought as she saw Maya and Marcio out a short time later. She'd devoted entirely too much time to this scheme to settle for anything less than success. She'd spent too many months trying to squelch her attraction to Lucas while he'd been dating someone else, alternating between guilt and frustration for wanting a man who belonged to another woman.

Then there were the months of hoping and waiting after he'd become a free agent. Then hours and hours of chatting online under an assumed identity to have the sorts of intellectually stimulating, emotionally moving conversations she could never seem to initiate when staring into his sexy green eyes.

But tonight, disguised as a fantasy woman, she'd put her inhibitions behind her.

Riley headed to the stereo, where she flipped a switch to fill the room with sultry swing music from a bygone era.

 _The better to dance with you, my dear._

Riley unlocked the door and sat on the divan to await her guest. Placing a hand on the arm rest, she showcased herself to prepare for his entrance.

 _The better to perform for you, my dear._

And then the door opened.

 _Showtime._

 **…** **..**

Lucas Friar stepped inside the room before locking the door as per the instructions on his invitation. Scanning the interior, he made a mental note of the differences between the other hotel room he'd stayed at and the low-lit, fanciful setting surrounding him now.

Although his hostess had only added piped-in music, and refreshments at the bar, she'd created an intimate atmosphere or maybe his rushing pulse just enhanced the mood of the place.

Could be. Tonight, as a man who'd been teased for months by an online temptress, Lucas viewed this room as the place where he'd capture the woman of his dreams.

 _Jexica_ —sexy, brilliant, and completely outrageous.

She'd seduced him with her intelligence, her wit, and a boldness that had conceived of this wild plan to finally meet in a place symbolizing their shared interest.

Lucas stepped inside, glancing overhead at the ceiling moldings, where naked cherubs grinned as they pointed golden love arrows at him from every direction.

 _I've already been hit,_ Lucas silently informed them, _so aim for the girl._

And the instant he saw her, poised on top of the divan, Lucas knew he'd need all the help he could get tonight.

"Good evening." She issued her greeting in a low silky voice he barely recognized, a sound that conjured visions of his body wrapped around hers.

Lucas' gaze locked on her as she began to slowly stand, flowing up with a grace that drew his attention to the way her gown glimmered over her curves. All that spangly beadwork and yet he could see breathtaking glimpses of her lush body below.

Swallowing hard, Lucas lifted his gaze to her face.

Amazing. She'd been transformed, a total change from the brown-haired, brown-eyed angel he'd worked with yesterday while doing surgery. This woman was a black-haired, blue-eyed embodiment of sex.

For one blind moment, Lucas thought he'd been mistaken, that the woman who called herself the screen name Jexica wasn't really his friend Riley Matthews, but simply a stranger who'd chanced across him online.

"I'm glad you decided to join me." Her sultry tone didn't hide the way her voice trembled.

No, he wasn't mistaken. She may have lowered her voice a sexy octave and reinvented her appearance into this exotic creature, but the Riley he knew was still there.

"You invited me for a fantasy night in this hotel. I'm honored." He was, and he wasn't. He'd hoped she would spring the big surprise on him by greeting him as herself.

She extended her hand with such studied femininity that Lucas couldn't help but smile. Shifting the roses he'd brought, he twined his fingers through hers, observed how her new skin tone extended down to the manicured tips. Then he pressed his lips to her warm skin and marveled at the way touching her affected him.

Heat sizzled through him like a brushfire and he saw a similar reply in her eyes. Their color may have been unfamiliar, but the awareness was there. He lingered over her hand and it was only the reminder of the greater pleasures the night would bring that prompted Lucas to let go.

"For you." He handed her the roses.

"White roses are my favorite."

"I know. I remember everything you've shared with me in our chats."

"I'm flattered."

"I'm fascinated."

Their gazes met above the blooms. Their surroundings became surreal as the promise of sex filtered between them.

"So how does reality hold up to fantasy?" she asked.

Though her expression never changed, Lucas recognized the vulnerability in her question. That vulnerability was the real problem here. Riley was intelligent, gorgeous, a ray of sunshine, and very shy. She'd been counting on him to ignore her just like one of the stupid and shallow guys who routinely ignore her. Unlike those guys, Lucas saw past Riley's defense. He saw the real Riley. Lucas wanted to be a lot more than just being a friend and she needed to understand that or they'd never have a solid foundation to build a relationship on.

He'd decided the best way to make his point was to let _her_ pursue _him._ He'd been counting on their friendship to help her overcome her shyness, but upon reflection, he realized he never should have expected Riley to do the expected.

Predictable simply wasn't her style and she'd outdone herself by pursuing him under the online screen name Jexica. Instead of relying on their friendship, she'd relied on a disguise and right now Lucas couldn't tell whether she was worried he'd see through her ruse or that he didn't like her new look. But he knew Riley well enough to know he needed a lot more than words to bridge this distance.

Reaching out to stroke her cheek, he grazed his fingertips along her skin, aroused by the freedom to touch her, and not just a little interested in how she'd pulled off such a dramatic change in her appearance.

"Reality far surpasses the fantasy," he said. "You're brilliant and beautiful and I'm one very lucky man."

She trembled, and judging by the way her expression melted into a pleased smile, he'd said exactly the right thing.

"So what shall I call you?" The only name she'd given him online was Jexica and he needed to know if she wanted to continue playing the game.

"I prefer the mystery of our screen names, don't you?"

Not much mystery there since his screen name was MadDog. "Lady's choice."

"Let's run with the fantasy, shall we? Tonight's our night to enjoy our special place without reality intruding. No past. No future. Only now, the two of us."

Lucas nodded. He'd have to play along, because he wouldn't tip his hand until he knew the time was right. He wanted to get on with exploring their incredible chemistry and planning their future. He'd already waited so long.

 _Too_ long, though the fault was his own. He'd gotten complacent with his high school sweetheart. It had taken meeting Riley for Lucas to realize they were only still a couple because they'd grown comfortable. Even more time had passed before he'd finally admitted his heart really wasn't in the relationship anymore. His former girlfriend had agreed. They'd parted ways and remained friends.

But Riley couldn't know this, so when she swept past him with a breezy "I'll find something to put these roses in," he was left staring after her.

And noticing the back of her dress. Or _lack_ of back rather. The shimmery fabric scooped below her waist, exposing lots of skin as she walked across the room toward the bar area. Blindsided by the sight, Lucas had to shake off the effect to follow.

Circling the room, Riley moved as comfortably behind the bar in her high heels as she did in her work boots. She produced another silver ice bucket, filled it with water, and arranged the roses inside. "These are lovely. Thank you so much."

"Beautiful flowers for a very beautiful lady."

"I promised you a tour through the Risqué's erotic history tonight."

"The tour can wait. I'm ready for the erotic history…." Lucas paused, smiled. "And for you."

Riley had promised him a lot more than a tour in the darkness of late night as he'd stared at his computer monitor, connected through cyberspace. The cover of anonymity had fueled her boldness in a way that had him thoroughly turned on.

"I'll do the honors." Needing something to occupy his hands, Lucas reached for the champagne bottle, popped the top and filled the glasses.

After accepting a glass, Riley tilted the rim to his with a tinkle of crystal. "To our night together."

"To us." He brought the glass to his lips in an effort to curtail a smile.

Riley really thought she was going to get away with one night. How would she react to learn he wasn't interested in a limited engagement?

There was one way to find out. With the taste of champagne still lingering on his lips, Lucas leaned forward to kiss her.

Riley shared a breath with Lucas before their lips met. She inhaled the mingled scents of hot male and champagne, tasted an urgency that surprised and thrilled her. His sensual mouth had always fascinated her, had tempted her to kiss him a thousand different times. His words came back to her, just a whisper of memory that added to the magic of the moment.

 _"Reality far surpasses the fantasy,"_ he'd said. _"You're brilliant and beautiful and I'm one very lucky man."_

Lucas was brilliant and beautiful, too. And never so much as tonight. This was a Lucas she'd never seen before, polished and purposeful and oh-so appealing. When Riley looked up from where she was sitting, she'd grown breathless at the sight of him in his tux. He'd seemed like a stranger with his tall, athletic body showcased to perfection in crisp black and white, his broad shoulders filling out the lines of his jacket. He'd combed his dark blonde hair and when he'd gazed up at her, pleasure so clear on his face, she'd known she'd made the right decision by devising her sexy plan.

She was one very lucky lady. For tonight at least.

The bar separated them, but apparently Lucas didn't consider it an obstacle. Threading his fingers into her hair, he smoothed work-rough palms over her cheeks, tipped her face to deepen their kiss. Lucas kissed her as though he'd wanted her forever, and the intensity of his hunger struck her as odd. Riley was technically a stranger, despite their intimate online chats. But her own flaring need forbade her from following the thought. She couldn't do more than slide her fingers over his, learn the texture of his skin, the curves and hollows of hands she'd admired from afar for so long.

A desire Riley hadn't dreamed could grow any hotter spiked through her. She wanted this man like she'd never wanted another. She craved his mouth on hers. His masculine scent filled her senses, played to her deepest fantasies and promised so much more. She wanted to feel his body pressed against her, wanted to feel his strong hands caress her skin. She wanted to see his face sharpen with desire, wanted to hear his voice as he reached his own pleasure.

The bar supported her when her knees grew weak. The gilt railing dug into her ribs, but the discomfort was nothing to the longing, an ache that made heat pool between her thighs, made her muscles clench with a needy little spasm.

Riley sighed when his lips nibbled along her jaw, a purely sensual experience with his lips caressing, his tongue stroking, his breath breaking in warm bursts against her skin. When Lucas trailed his mouth to the hand she held over his, pausing to rest his cheek against her fingertips, he literally took Riley's breath away with his tenderness.

Perhaps Lucas sensed her surprise, because he opened his eyes, searched her face for… _what,_ she couldn't say, but she knew he'd found it because he slipped his hands from beneath hers and caught them in his. He didn't let go.

"I guessed kissing you would be awesome, but I didn't know how arousing," Lucas said. "Way better than the fantasy, Jexica."

Somehow his nickname for her sounded right spoken in his rich hint-of-the-Deep-South voice. Riley laughed, a sexy sound, but how could she laugh any other way when she felt so sexy beneath his gaze? His eyes poured over her as though seeing her for the first time, clearly as amazed by the intensity between them as she was.

"Since we're spinning fantasies tonight," Lucas said. "I have a request."

"Your wish is my command."

Lucas smiled at that, a roguish smile filled with promise. "Anything?"

Riley brushed her mouth across his knuckles, a caress. She would have agreed to anything right now. The night spread before them ripe with sensuality, her one and only chance to explore the sensations this man evoked in her.

"I want to dance with you," he said.

 _Dance._

Riley sighed again. Dancing suggested an intimate, thorough introduction to each other and intimate and thorough sounded perfect. "Great minds think alike. I chose this music because you mentioned your professor listened to it and you've acquired a taste."

Lucas arched an eyebrow. "So I'm not the only one who's been paying close attention to our chats."

"I've been hanging on to your every word, MadDog."

"For how long?"

"Since we met."

His expression suggested her admission was the greatest compliment she could have paid him. With a smile, Lucas drew her hand into his then guided her around the bar.

Riley suddenly stood before him, never more aware of her body than she was at this moment. Lucas' gaze caressed her, from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. A part of her trembled at the need she saw in his face, even as she experienced a terrible sense of disappointment that he looked this way at a stranger, a woman who didn't exist in reality except for tonight. She wanted him to want her, the _real_ her.

But Lucas didn't give her a chance to dwell long on disappointment. In a move reminiscent of her late-night fantasies, he gathered her into his strong arms, introduced their bodies in a motion that brought them together full length.

Riley wasn't short by any stretch of the imagination, but even in her heels, the top of her head only reached Lucas' chin. Her cheek rested comfortably against his shoulder. Her breasts pressed against his chest. She could feel the strength of his muscles beneath his jacket, sense the steady beat of his heart.

Lucas slid his hand along her waist and down the curve of her hip until his fingers rounded her backside and coaxed their hips close enough so she could feel the erection that revealed so much better than words that he was as aroused by her as she was by him.

"You said anything," he said without apology, yet still acting the gentleman by giving her a chance to retreat.

"Yes." Riley breathed the word on the edge of a sigh, as captured by the strength of his body as she was by the pleasure in his eyes.

The corners of his mouth tipped up with that devilish grin and he pulled her a little closer. "You trust me?"

"I do."

"Why?"

"Because you've opened your heart online."

"You think that makes me trustworthy?"

He tightened his grip on her a little more, tested her limits, a heady combination of respect and daring, a Lucas Friar who was as much a stranger to Riley as the man in the moon. Only online had she ever glimpsed the demanding lover he might prove to be, but now she stared proof in the face. She'd known Lucas the partner, the tutor, and the friend but never Lucas the potential lover.

"I do," Riley said, rising to his challenge.

Lucas only smiled and the moment took on an unknown quality, a merging of her friend with her fantasy lover. The possibilities for the night suddenly seemed endless.

Especially behind the anonymity of her costume. For now, at least, Riley could indulge this wildness that made her lean back until he balanced her in his arms, arch her neck in case he should want to kiss her there.

"Shall we?" Lucas asked.

"Yes."

And then, their bodies molded together as one, as they began to move.

Lucas marveled at the way Riley followed his movements easily, their bodies swaying in the dance as though they'd known each other forever. Though slender, she was curvy in a way he found very attractive, a woman to mold against a man in all the right places. Against _him._ She felt so damned… _right._

Resting his cheek against the top of her head, Lucas moved to the music, savoring the feel of her body against him and inhaling the scent of her hair, strangely different tonight than the lightly floral fragrance he'd been stealing whiffs of in class or whenever chance permitted. A by-product of her disguise, he guessed.

"This is exactly what I had in mind for our special night," she said softly.

"It's off to a very promising start."

"You'll have to tell me more about what you'd like to accomplish, so I'm sure to meet your expectations."

A familiar candor glittered in those unfamiliar blue eyes and Lucas found himself slowing their pace to hang on to her a little tighter.

He couldn't help himself. Riley was such a beautiful woman, all sleek curves and creamy skin. He admitted to more than one fantasy about her gracing his bed, wearing nothing more than her brown hair. Just the thought had the ability to make saliva pool in his mouth until he was forced to swallow.

It was no wonder she managed to hide her shyness and stunning looks behind her boxy outfits. She practically rendered him blind with her smile. Most men didn't hear a word she said. Their senses, along with their brains, took up residence in their eyes, which never glanced past her clothing and severe hairstyle. The poor Joes couldn't help it. Lucas knew that firsthand, as he'd been guilty of the same crime when meeting her. He'd managed to drag his gaze past her outer appearance and make it as far as her eyes before drowning in those bright brown depths.

But Lucas had been loyal to his former girlfriend and had overcome his star struck reaction. Only later, after he and Riley had become partners and friends, had he realized how deceiving her looks actually were. She may have looked as though she was comfortable hiding in the shadows and occasionally commanding the attention of every person in a room with her sparkling smiles but that wasn't the case. Lucas was very grateful he'd had that time to become her friend because a friend pretending to be a stranger had enough of an edge to turn this situation around to his benefit.

"You've surpassed my expectations already, Jexica." Lucas meant it. "Your idea to meet for the first time in this special place was inspired."

"We're both interested with the old architecture and tonight should be special, don't you think? We already know each other intimately, so to speak, so the rest would be just logistics otherwise."

" _Intimately._ What an interesting word choice."

"It fits. You've been very forthcoming in our chats."

"You're easy to talk to…well, _write_ to." Lucas smiled, rather sheepishly as it was. "About what I'd like to accomplish tonight…we're progressing along nicely. My first objective was to see if I was as attracted to you in person as I was online."

"And…" Riley peered up from beneath thick black lashes.

"Mission accomplished."

He dipped her low over his arm, savoring the surprised little gasp that slid from her lips and the way she responded so naturally to his motion, enjoying the sight of her dark hair cascading behind her, exposing her throat and a glimpse of her breasts as they swelled above her neckline.

"What's your second objective?" Riley asked as he brought her against him again.

"To prove myself worthy."

"Really? Of what?"

"My third objective, which involves the two of us naked."

More than he had yet tonight, Lucas recognized Riley in her unguarded reaction to his boldness, in the expression that made her eyes widen and her breath hitch audibly. She couldn't completely mask the blushing, beautiful girl she was behind the makeup, nor could she hide that she was emotionally invested in what was happening between them. Knowing this gave him the first hope he had that he might just accomplish his real mission objective—making Riley drop the games and commit to a future.

"Have I shocked you, Jexica?"

Blue contacts didn't hide the flash of surprise in her eyes or the exact moment when she rallied past surprise to rise to his challenge. "No, it's just…what a coincidence. It so happens that getting naked with you is on my to-do list, too."

"Isn't it remarkable how our thoughts so often run in the same direction. If you weren't convinced before, here's proof."

"I'm convinced." Snuggling even closer, Riley stood on tiptoe to press silk-soft lips to his.

Lucas gave up all pretense of trying to dance. Grinding to a halt, he wrapped his arms around her, tucked her neatly into the folds of his body.

Their kiss was urgent this time and he couldn't contain the need to skim his hands over her curves, exploring every smooth inch while cataloguing the touches that brought a sigh to her lips or sent goose bumps along her bare arms.

With the slightest pressure, he nudged his thigh between hers. Though her narrow gown didn't allow much room, she rode against him just enough so he could feel her faint heat despite the clothing separating them. Or maybe he just imagined he could feel her. Riley was pushing him past limits he'd thought were solid. It became a test of his control not to slip the gown from her shoulders and make love to her where they stood.

Lucas settled for running his hands down her bare back instead, slipping his fingers inside the gown that hugged her derriere, where Lucas made a stunning discovery—Riley wasn't wearing anything beneath, not even the wispiest thong.

Without a thought for the liberty he took, he sank both hands into her gown. Running his fingers along her firm curves, he pulled her even closer, ground himself against her with a forceful thrust that made him groan.

Riley sighed.

Lucas dragged his mouth from hers, knowing that if he didn't catch his breath right now, he was a goner. He'd strip Riley where she stood and show her exactly how much he wanted to make love to her. Forcing his eyes to open, he found her watching him. For a moment they stood facing each other, both flushed and breathless.

"Looks like we're well on our way to meeting your third objective," she said.

"What was next on your agenda?"

Had Lucas not known the woman beneath the makeup, he might have missed the relief in her expression. But he caught it. Jexica was getting a lot more than she'd bargained for tonight. He was gratified to see she was as jolted as he felt, and not surprised when she shot a glance at the bar, where silver catering trays beckoned.

He knew Riley and she was looking to run, if only for a moment to catch her breath, and he wasn't surprised when she asked, "Are you hungry?"

Oh, he was hungry all right. "For you."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Riley forced a light laugh and headed back behind the bar to put some much-needed distance between her and Lucas. She needed to collect her thoughts, and her breath, before she wound up abandoning her carefully planned fantasy and making love to him right here on the floor. _Not_ in the game plan.

Dancing with Lucas and their erotic kiss had not only left her trembling with desire but with alarm bells clanging wildly in her head. Unfortunately she was just beginning to suspect that she'd seriously underestimated how much emotion would factor tonight. Not only her own, but Lucas'. She hadn't counted on him being so involved with a woman he'd only met online.

"Why don't we grab something to eat while we tour the hotel." She needed to get back to her plan fast, needed some breathing room to think this unexpected turn through. "I want to show you everything about this place. And I'll amaze you with my knowledge of the history."

"You already amaze me." Lucas' voice was silky smooth. "You're a very amazing woman, Jexica."

How she'd longed to hear him say that when Riley wasn't wearing a disguise! "I'm glad you think so. It's nice to know I'm not the only one feeling amazed tonight."

Lucas smiled and refilled the champagne glasses. "So what's on the menu?"

"Lobster cocktail. Marinated mushrooms. And…" Riley raised the lid of the final serving tray. "Sushi."

"All my favorites. You've put a lot of effort into tonight."

The man had no idea. "I wanted it to be perfect."

Rather than looking pleased, Lucas looked thoughtful. A fluttering started deep inside her and Riley avoided his gaze, turned to action as a distraction. Arranging a sampling of morsels on a plate, she added two linen napkins to their to-go meal.

But Lucas wouldn't be ignored. He leaned over the bar to close the distance between them. "What happens if tonight's so perfect I want a repeat performance?"

That was a contingency she hadn't planned for, but Riley couldn't tell him that. "I thought we were about the fantasy, MadDog."

"What if we can be more?"

"All our online discussions… While we know each other intimately, we've talked very little about our lives in real time. I figured a fantasy night would be enough."

"What if I can convince you to give us a try in real life?"

How she'd longed to hear those words! But now Riley's stomach gave a wild lurch, brought her face-to-face with the fact that she'd _really_ underestimated the role emotion would play tonight.

She'd planned for every conceivable contingency. Or so she'd thought. The one contingency she hadn't planned for was hearing Lucas talk about tomorrow with a woman who didn't exist. It just hadn't occurred to her that he could become so attached to a woman he'd only known through cyberspace. Riley hadn't realized his emotions would be so easily engaged, especially not when he hadn't been interested in the real-time version of her. And here she'd thought she'd known him.

"Let's just see how the night goes and not worry about tomorrow, shall we?"

It was a cop-out. She knew it. He knew it. Lucas' mouth thinned just enough to harden the lines of his face. And because she knew this man, she understood that expression. He was disappointed, and Riley didn't have the ability to counteract disappointment, because she'd never anticipated this turn of events.

"You're underestimating my ability to convince you of the merits of a fantasy night," Riley said, a lot more boldly than she felt.

"Fair enough. But turnabout is fair play. I want a chance to convince you of the merits of reality. You have to promise to listen when I decide the time is right."

Her heart started to pound, not the languid, bone-melting sort of pounding she'd experienced in his arms, but a sense of foreboding. "You sound so cryptic."

"Not cryptic. I just want a chance to lay my cards on the table when the time comes." Lucas raised his champagne flute. "Deal."

Riley raised hers. "Only if you promise to return the favor." The way the night was progressing, she just might need to call in that promise….

He tapped her flute. "Deal. You won't be sorry, Jexica." Plucking a marinated mushroom from the plate, he popped it into his mouth, chewed, and swallowed. "Ready for our tour?"

"Yes." Riley meant that in a big way.

Treading these unforeseen emotional waters hadn't been part of her plan. She'd been looking for excitement, a special night of fantasy without the risk of harming their friendship. Her plan simply didn't allow for tomorrow. Lucas would be a lot more than disappointed if he found out who she really was. She'd lose her fantasy man and her friend all in one night.

Just the thought made Riley shiver.

Hindsight convinced Riley she should have known better than to anticipate his reaction. Why hadn't she expected him to have some night moves of his own?

"You carry the champagne and I'll handle our meal," he directed. "Where to first the long corridor, the gallery, or the bedroom?"

"The bedroom." In the direction of the short staircase that led to the bedroom, where she'd move them to phase two and try to get back on track.

In between savory bites of lobster and sips of champagne, Riley glossed over the history of the old hotel and its origin as a place to celebrate freedom after the Civil War, when morale in the South had been low and people's faith shaken. The insightful politicians and entrepreneurs of the time had built the hotel to engage the city's interest by targeting men's, and women's, interest in sex.

But Lucas knew the facts as well as she did. Their shared interest in anything old and vintage had been one of the many topics they discuss and flirt about during their nightly chats. So she wowed Lucas with the trivia of the place instead, interesting happenings between owners, guests, and other minutiae.

"How do you know all this stuff?" Lucas asked, sufficiently awed.

"I love to read. That's how I relax." Not quite the entire truth, but enough of it for tonight.

Lucas, in turn, shared his thoughts about how renovating old hotels or other buildings presented the challenge of retaining the distinctive flavor of a building that had provided a home to an eclectic variety of erotic theatrical venues from vaudeville, burlesques, and gangster films to modern film noir, performance art, and improvisation.

Riley knew what amazing things the architect who was supervising the restoration, his design team, and their interns were doing around those old buildings, but she asked questions and responded to Lucas' answers with interest. At first she'd meant to keep her cover up, but as they finished the appetizers and polished off the champagne, she found herself asking questions just to keep Lucas talking.

His voice filtered through her in a way she'd never fully appreciated during their busy days at the hospital or on campus. Something about the solitude and the late hour, she supposed, because the awareness flowed between them like an electrical current.

After abandoning their dinnerware, they indulged in glancing touches that led to steamy embraces and long exploring kisses that kept sidetracking them from their tour.

But along with these distractions, Lucas shared opinions about their work that he'd never expressed before, which made Riley curious about why he opened up so easily to her online personality. She wanted to know. Her emotions were getting the better of her. One minute she was melting into his arms, caught up in the fantasy. The next, she was hurt by the reality that he felt closer to a stranger than he ever had to the real her.

Lucas Friar had some nerve talking about real-time and shared tomorrows. How could he be so involved with a fantasy woman but completely unwilling to get involved with the woman who worked by his side all day long?

"So tell me about this colleague of yours," Riley said. Not exactly a question. "I don't recall you ever mentioning her before."

Lucas bit back a grin. She was fishing. This might be his second promising sign that he could win her over before the night was through. "Not much to tell, really. She's… _nice._ "

"Nice?"

Though Riley looked only mildly curious, there was just something about the way the word seemed to catch in her throat that told Lucas the whole story.

"Yeah, nice. Very competent, too. Except in math. No head for numbers at all."

"Really?"

He shrugged again, trying to decide if that was indignation flashing behind those blue contact lenses.

"So how long have you two been working together?" Riley asked, clearly still looking for something he hadn't yet provided.

"Since I started my residency. I think our professor assigned us as a team so I could keep her out of trouble. Riley's a dreamer and very shy. The guys can easily eat her alive."

"But not you?"

Lucas shook his head while gnawing on the inside of his lip to keep from smiling. "I like depth and substance in a woman. Just like you have."

Riley looked as though she couldn't decide whether to quit while she was ahead or haul back and punch him. Judging by the color staining her already-darkened cheeks, he suspected she was leaning toward the latter.

"I'm not interested in talking about my working partner, Jexica. I'm interested in you."

To say Riley looked pained would have been a mild understatement, but she recovered quickly. "How nice."

The words were encrusted with ice and Lucas grabbed her before she got away. Crowding her back against the wall, he went to work on soothing hurt feelings.

"Yes, it is. It's very, _very_ nice." He trailed kisses under her jaw, was rewarded when her pulse jumped in her throat.

He kissed her there, too. Grazing his fingertips down the smooth arc of her neck, he rounded the curve of her shoulders, barely resisted the urge to drag the clingy fabric down her arms and peel the dress away. Instead, he molded his hands over her breasts, discovering what he'd suspected since exploring her bottom earlier—she was bare _everywhere._ If he peeled away her gown right now, he'd fulfill his fondest wish.

But Riley had retreated emotionally and he had some work to do to bring her back. Coaxing her chin up with a few well-placed nudges of his nose, he caught her mouth with his, tasted those sweet lips. Her breasts filled his palms. Flicking his thumbs across the peaks until they hardened, he tugged one tip, caught Riley's moan with his kiss.

And when she slipped her arms around his waist to pull him close, Lucas knew she'd finally let go of her anger. Or was planning to extract a sexy vengeance, which served his purpose as well.

This woman aroused him in a way that drove home just how much he had riding on tonight. He wanted a future to discover how to coax these soft sighs from her lips, learn how many different ways he could make her arch against him, greedy to feel their bodies pressed together. He wanted to explore the different ways to make her climax, to hear her gasp in pleasure.

Desire drove Lucas to sink his tongue deeper in her mouth, to cradle the weighty fullness of her breasts in his palms, to envision what she would look like bared, swollen from his touch, wet from his mouth.

Desire urged him to finally break their kiss, to stare down into her exotic face, at thick lashes forming inky semicircles on her cheeks, at lips slightly parted around soft bursts of breath. She looked like arousal come to life. Despite the tanned skin, the sloe eyes, the cloud of dark hair, she was the woman he'd fantasized about.

"I want to make love to you, Jexica."

Riley's lashes fluttered open. He found himself holding his breath as she lifted up on tiptoes and brushed that luscious mouth against his.

"Is that a yes?"

A smile curved that passion-swollen mouth. "I know the perfect place."

Catching his hand, she led him back down the corridor, past columns that were sculptures of naked couples engaged in their own passionate acts.

"Not on the floor?" Lucas hoped. He wanted to begin their future someplace he could stretch out to enjoy every inch of Riley.

"No. Not the floor," she said.

Lucas didn't ask where. He just followed her. She could have taken him straight to hell for all Lucas cared, when she lifted her hem and descended the stairs, bottom swaying provocatively and keeping him dogging her heels.

To his surprise, Riley didn't lead him into the first room they entered earlier, but to a smaller and more intimate room instead. All manners of décor from decades of erotic performances were stored inside, and would be until some new developer decides that it's out with the old and in with the new. What a pity.

Riley didn't flip on the overhead lighting, but rather turned on a set of lamps that had been left over from some boudoir stage set. The lamps cast the room into a soft golden glow and threw just enough light to maneuver through the chaos of scenery, props, and backdrops without doing bodily harm.

"Isn't this place just wonderful?" she asked. "Do you see all this stuff?"

"I do, indeed." Unfortunately he saw no place to lie down.

He did notice Riley discreetly lock the door behind them, though, confirming they'd reached their final destination.

"Come on." Riley avoided his gaze but reached for his hand again. "It's back here."

When they turned the corner, he saw it.

A massive bed shaped like a swan, complete with sparkling wings, white satin sheets, and an abundance of red pillows that made the thing look like some lurid creation from a Poconos honeymoon brochure.

Lucas blinked.

Riley beamed. "Isn't it great?"

He took another look. This bed had to be a prop from some fantasy performance. Beyond being huge, it stood so high off the floor that steps made of the same sparkly material as the bed had been positioned beside it, large enough to climb and still provide a table for an ice bucket and champagne glasses.

The champagne touched him. He was very pleased she'd put so much effort into seducing him. This was exactly the pursuit he'd been waiting for.

Lucas glanced at the swan bed again. Well, sort of.

"Yeah, it's…great," he said, attempting to inject enthusiasm into his voice without much success. He'd fantasized about making love to this woman but never in a bed like this. "You couldn't have come up with anything more… _fantasy._ "

Not if she'd tried.

Riley just laughed, a sound that carried through the dimly lit room, filled the shadows with light. Then she turned her back to him, visibly trembling with excitement. "Would you mind?"

"What?"

"Undoing my zipper. I can't climb the steps in this dress."

She was going to…what? Climb those steps _naked_?

It was worth any effort to find out. Dragging the zipper down, Lucas swallowed hard when the fabric parted to reveal an expanse of tanned skin. Without a word, she let the gown fall to the floor, gifting him with an awe-inspiring display of slender curves and heart-shaped bottom. He'd been right. She hadn't worn a stitch underneath that gown.

"Coming?" Riley shot him a breathless gaze over her shoulder.

Lucas sucked in his own ragged breath and willed his heart to resume beating. This wasn't sexy vengeance, but sexy benevolence at its best.

Riley wasn't going to climb those stairs naked, but naked _in high heels._

First one in gets to call the shots," Riley said, brave words that were a show of bravado more for her benefit than Lucas'. She forced her feet to move, took the steps to beside the swan bed without glancing over her shoulder to see if he followed. But she smiled when she heard his footsteps on the wooden floor a moment later.

The air grazed her bare skin as she shimmied into the bed. Lucas emitted a sound that was suspiciously like a growl, as she stretched out on the smooth comforter. There was an expression of such wanting on his face that Riley let her eyes shut for the briefest of instants, capturing his expression in her memory. This moment was her fantasy, the way she'd always longed to see Lucas, his handsome face sharp with his desire, his need for her burning in his dark eyes. Too bad he wasn't burning for the _real_ her. But she quickly brushed the thought away. Motioning to the champagne, she said, "Will you do the honors?"

"I'm not thirsty. I want you."

His possessive words kicked up her heart rate, fueled her boldness. "You're welcome to join me, but why don't you undress first? Not that I wouldn't enjoy that privilege myself, but I'd rather watch you strip for me." Lucas flashed her such a daring grin that the old saying "Be careful what you wish for…." flickered through her head. Then he toed off his shoes, shrugged away his jacket and began a very erotic performance.

Crisp white shirt and black dress slacks contrasted to make his shoulders seem a mile wide before they veed into a trim waist. She'd seen him in a variety of attire during their internship, from the neat casual clothes he wore on campus to his favorite scroungy jeans and boots. But Riley had never even imagined Lucas like this. He didn't hurry, but measured his actions, unfastening each button to let her enjoy the emerging expanse of tanned chest, to discover the swirls of dark blonde hair nestled in the muscular ridges.

 _Mmm. Mmm. Mmm._

Removing his cufflinks was a prelude to a display of shifting muscle as he dragged the shirt down his arms, revealed the definition of tanned biceps that was nothing short of scrumptious. Then Lucas popped open his fly. Slacks parted, and in the instant it took Riley to blink, he shoved his trousers down long gorgeous legs to reveal…

 _Mmm._ A boxer man.

An impressive erection strained against blue cotton, and her eyes fluttered shut again to etch this image in her mind, to imprint the way heat pooled between her legs at the thought of being granted the freedom to explore Lucas' gorgeous body at her leisure. Her fantasy, here in real time. For tonight at least.

And then he kicked aside trousers and briefs and stood before her, all tanned skin and sculpted muscle, all hard, strong male.

"Mind if I join you?" Lucas asked with a smile.

Riley could only shake her head.

He slipped into the bed, his tanned body contrasting sharply with the bright white of the bedding, but to Riley's surprise, and disappointment, he didn't take her into his arms.

"May I undress you?" he asked instead.

She extended her foot. "Please do."

Slipping off one strappy sandal with great ceremony, Lucas leaned over and pressed his mouth to her ankle. His warm lips glazed over her skin, making her shiver, making him smile. There was no question that he liked the way she reacted to him.

He removed the other shoe and kissed his way up her calf, sexy, tender openmouthed kisses that melted her insides to jelly. His mouth trailed up her thighs, his strong fingers kneading her skin, guiding her so he could continue his sexy exploration, pleasure her with his skilled mouth. His tenderness touched her. His need overwhelmed her. She wanted this man to want _her,_ not some fantasy woman. _She_ wanted to spark that hunger in his eyes more than she'd ever wanted anything in her life.

Riley had the wild impulse to confess who she really was, but when she opened her mouth, no words came out. What if he rejected her? She'd played a major game with him and at the very least he'd have to work through surprise before understanding that she'd plotted this ruse to overcome her inhibitions and be the woman she wanted to be in his arms, before he could even decide whether or not to forgive her.

And would he?

She honestly didn't know. Lucas hadn't been interested in the real her and nothing had changed to suggest he might welcome her advances now. Nothing except her longing for him and the caring, arousing way his lips skimmed her skin. She'd thought her plan was perfect…but now she wasn't so sure. Lucas wanted more than a night, but with a woman who didn't exist.

Was honesty worth losing her one and only chance to make love to her fantasy man?

Each hot stroke of his mouth urged her to say no.

 _Enjoy the moment._

Riley shushed her conscience and did exactly that.

Zeroing in on her most intimate place, Lucas pleasured her. With his lightly stubbled cheeks tickling her skin, he wiped all thoughts from her head. Riley couldn't think when her blood slowed to a languid pace in her veins, when each beat of her heart resounded through her body like the rumble of a sonic boom.

Each caress, each delicious stroke wove a spell over her senses that made reasoning, let alone worrying, impossible. Riley could do nothing more than surrender to his possessive touch and marvel at the unrestrained way her body responded to him.

The reality proved so much more fulfilling than any fantasy she'd ever had. Riley was ready for this man with a need even she hadn't fully appreciated. A need so strong that she'd conceived of this crazy plan to be with him. It felt as though she'd waited her whole life to feel his skin hot against hers, to know the feel of his silky hair beneath her fingertips, the tight strength of those broad, broad shoulders.

Moisture puddled between her thighs. Her muscles melted until she trembled…her pleasure mounted until all she could do was moan softly and arch her hips. And then she simply opened up, her entire body engulfed in a downpour of sensation that stole the breath from her lungs.

Lucas idly traced circles on her stomach, sometimes veering down to follow the depression along the juncture of her thigh. A sensitive place, and one that made her twitch rather ungracefully.

He smiled, only lifted his gaze when she gasped.

"Hello, are you back now?" Lucas looked immensely satisfied with himself.

Another stroke of his fingertip. Another twitch.

His smile deepened.

"Let's make love." Her whispered words fluttered out on the edge of a sigh.

Propping himself up on an elbow, Lucas frowned, a look that roused her from her dreamy state. "We have a problem."

"I brought plenty of condoms."

His expression grew thoughtful. When he made no move to extract himself from between her thighs, Riley felt the silence lengthen with her every heartbeat.

"It's not a protection problem," Lucas finally said.

There was something about the inevitability she heard in his voice, an emotion mirrored in his eyes, that sent alarm bells clanging in her head. "Then what's wrong?"

"I won't make love to you with deception between us."

Those alarm bells were ringing wildly now, but still Riley cooled her reaction, wouldn't let herself overreact, when he couldn't possibly know…. "Deception?"

Lucas seemed curiously reluctant yet very resolute. When he finally spoke, it was as though he'd measured his every word against her reaction.

"I know who you really are, Riley."

Riley's world went suddenly, horribly still. Every echo of pleasure drained away in such a physical rush that she actually felt dizzy. Lucas' admission filtered through her, stunning, yet not quite bridging the distance from disbelief to acceptance to utter horror.

She wanted to close her eyes and block out the sight of his face, that resigned expression that revealed he wasn't pleased about confronting her yet hadn't been able to do anything else. But she couldn't shut out the sight of the man she knew. The man she'd wanted with all her heart for so long.

The man she thought she'd deceived.

Though nothing had changed about their positions, or their expressions—indeed they both stared at each other as though caught soundly in the harsh glare of the truth—Riley no longer had the cover of her disguise to conceal her. She was exposed beneath Lucas' eyes.

Visible in all her naked, post-orgasmic glory.

Something had to break before she dissolved into a humiliated puddle right before his eyes, and since he didn't seem to be gearing up for any other shocking revelations… "How long?"

"Since the night you told me that you love eating pizza followed by a slice of double chocolate cake."

"You knew it was me because of one comment? What's so unusual about eating pizza and cake?"

"Nothing, if it wasn't you. The way you sound so excited and the sigh you make when you talk about your favorite cake."

Riley could only stare, though she was very grateful for his smug expression that distracted her with a good dose of righteous disbelief. "How could you possibly connect that to me? We've never even discussed—"

"I overheard you telling Dr. Fairfax's that you need pizza after spending nine hours in the operating room and since you've been all nerves inside you would need not just a slice but a whole double chocolate cake to calm your nerves."

"Lucas, you were sitting all the way across the table."

All traces of smugness faded from his handsome face and he grew so serious that Riley braced herself for what was coming next.

"I don't have to be sitting next to you to notice what you're doing."

There was something so solemn about this admission, so unexpected, that Riley couldn't believe she'd heard him right. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Lucas glanced down at where his hand hovered above her thigh and traced another circle as though to make a point. "It means I've been paying very close attention to you."

"You…you have?"

He leaned forward and pressed a kiss where he'd traced that circle. She quivered in what was becoming a predictable reaction to his touch. "I have."

She wanted to ask if that's why he'd played along with her game while she'd established her cover as Jexica and laid the groundwork for her fantasy seduction. But she couldn't make her voice work.

"I want you, Riley."

But that didn't explain why he'd never tried to turn their friendship into anything more and she finally managed to say so…while she tried to scoot away.

Lucas leaned across her legs so she couldn't move. "Hear me out. You promised."

She had indeed. Another one of his slick moves. Here she'd thought she'd been the one with all the tricks up her sleeve and he'd been snaring her soundly in a trap of his own.

Riley scowled.

He traced another circle. "I didn't want you to lump me in with the other million guys who seem to ignore you one minute and so into to you the next only to ask for your help. I wanted you to feel comfortable enough to pursue me. And you did, online, as Jexica."

"I do not lump…" she began to defend herself, but when Lucas arched an eyebrow, she trailed off, forced herself to entertain his point.

 _I wanted you to feel comfortable enough to pursue me._

He'd known how much she wanted him, so much that she'd been willing to risk everything, including his friendship, with her crazy plan, and he'd been willing to wait for her, to play along, just so she could transition from friends to more at her own pace.

Riley couldn't seem to wrap her brain around the fact that they might actually have a chance to consider tomorrow. "Lucas, I was convinced you weren't interested, that you didn't see me as serious girlfriend material."

"Because of the way you looked?"

"You sound surprised. I have had the problem before and you have to admit that I'm a polar opposite from your last girlfriend." A woman who'd looked like a polished runway model with her shiny blonde hair and big blue eyes.

"True enough." Another circle. Another shiver. "But it's me we're talking about, Riley. I'm not just some man. I'm your friend."

"Is that why you played along?"

Lucas nodded. "Why did you pretend you were a historian? And where did you learn all that stuff you told me about this place?"

"Were you impressed?"

"Very."

Riley smiled. "It seemed a good way to get your attention. We're both interested with the old architectures and my neighbor worked here for forty-five years. She's been telling me all about the place. Not the facts that you read in magazines or books, but all the juicy gossip. When they did a partial renovation in the early eighties, there's a plaque in the hallway with her name on it. She's the employee with the longest-running tenure."

"Is she the one that told you about this room?"

She nodded.

"That explains where you got all that good trivia. But how did you get the owner to let you book this room for tonight?"

"Blatant lies. Marge is still very close with the owners and she told them I wouldn't have a date for my best friend's wedding if they didn't give me the key to the place," Riley explained. "Turns out the wife, she's a mush. As soon as Marge told her I was tired of waiting for you to ask me out and wanted to give you a nudge, she handed over the key. And it did help that the room was close for public until they sort out the stuffs that are currently stored here."

Riley laughed. Then before she even realized what Lucas was about, he'd rolled on top of her, pressing her back into the soft bedding.

Riley might have gasped had she not been so caught up in the feel of his hard body against her. As it was, she sighed at the suddenness of his movement and then all thoughts fled as he brought his mouth down on hers.

His urgency stole the sound from her lips and drove home what Riley hadn't been able to absorb yet—Lucas had been waiting to make love to the woman he wanted. Not the bold and daring Jexica, but _her,_ Riley, his intern partner and friend.

Slipping her arms around his neck, she savored the warm heat of shared breaths, the knowledge that he'd been willing to wait for her. Arching her body against him, she let him know with touch just how long she'd been waiting for him. "Make love to me, Lucas."

Riley didn't need to ask twice. With sultry whispers and longing, she finally got to watch Lucas' face sharpen with his desire, hear his voice as he reached his pleasure, got to savor her response to this man and the magic they made together.

And as they lay in each other's arms afterward, sated, their heartbeats racing, their bodies clinging skin to skin with the sheen of their exertions, Riley stroked the damp hairs from his temple and marveled at the turn of the night's events.

"You're not angry that I misled you?" she asked.

Lucas leaned into her touch, a response that conveyed how satisfied he was more than words ever could. "Technically, I misled you, too, so I'm willing to call it even. As long as I don't have to settle for just one fantasy night."

Riley snuggled into his arms with a smile. "I think we can look forward to a fantasy future, instead."

 ** _The End_**


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